Opinion

Bill Kristol explained yesterday on the NBC political commentary show “Meet the Press” that he believes Republican lawmakers will support President Obama’s decision to strike Syria in a military action. Obama has called for a military response to the gas attack the Syrian government perpetrated against its own citizens in August. Over 1,400 men, women and children were killed in that attack.

Although urging a military response, Obama decided to leave the final decision on whether to pursue such action to Congress. Since the majority of congressmen are Republicans, there is a fear that Obama might not get the support he needs for the Syrian strike. But Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, a conservative political journal, reassured Obama supporters that Republicans would indeed back the president.

“I think the Republican Party will step up and do the right thing and support the president against a chemical-weapons-using, terror-sponsoring, Iran-backed dictator,” Kristol said on “Meet the Press.”

Kristol also said that he wished that Obama had attacked Syria in 2011 and/or 2012. He added that he thought Obama’s decision to give Congress the last word on whether to use military force or not was the right one. Kristol compared this with George H.W. Bush’s decision to have military action authorized by Congress and the UN before taking action in the Persian Gulf in 1990.

It shows a spontaneous demonstration of appreciation for World War II veterans exiting a plane in the Washington D.C. area. No, it wasn’t Memorial Day or another designated day when we are supposed to honor soldiers. It was just a day when a collection of our finest and bravest exited a plane together.

Yesterday, President Barack Obama failed, again, to recognize that it was D-Day, commemorating the Normandy landings from World War II. Thousands of Americans lost their lives as they stormed the Normandy cost in a day that has gone down in the history books.

D-Day Normandy Beach Memorial

But not, apparently, in any of the books that Obama has read. Obama didn’t have to put aside the entire day for a commemoration; a simple speech, a small breakfast with Normandy survivors or a similar event would have sufficed. But something should have been done. Instead, Obama is hobnobbing in San Francisco and Los Angeles with his favorite movie stars, drumming up support for his campaign.

This is the third year in a row that Obama has failed to acknowledge D-Day. He gave a speech in 2009 for the 65th anniversary, but has done nothing since then. First Lady Michelle Obama, who hangs her hat on being supportive of our soldiers and their families, was silent as well.

Not only is it shameful that Obama wouldn’t take the time out to acknowledge those who have given so much for our country, but it’s also politically foolish.

Certainly, Obama could learn a few lessons from ordinary people who were at Reagan National Airport on May 23rd, 2012.

Berkeley Police Chief Michael Meehan is under the spotlight at the moment – and for good reason. He is being investigated at the moment by a San Francisco law firm for sending Sgt. Mary Kusmiss, a department spokeswoman, to the home of a reporter in March after midnight in order to try to get changes to a story.

Now, the spotlight is on him for another, even more ridiculous reason. On January 11th, Meehan’s son reported that someone had stolen his iPhone from his locker at Berkeley High School. This, apparently, warranted up to 10 Berkeley on-duty officers, to go searching for the phone.

When the Police Chief learned that the phone was missing, he showed his own phone to the property crimes sergeant, and then had that sergeant deploy his team and drug task force officers to look for the device.

The phone was never found – and with it went Police Chief Meehan’s dwindling reputation.

Many officers have been quietly voicing their displeasure with the incident. One source even said that Meehan took part in the search himself and Kusmiss has admitted that four detectives were paid overtime for two hours each to search for the phone.

Surely, it’s time for an investigation of the Police Chief and for a change.